Monument record 4081/0/1 - Gun Emplacement north of Ledsham

A set of World War 2 photographs illustrates an anti-tank gun emplacement near Ledsham. These are thick walled structures with large embrasures in one or more walls to accommodate a large gun. The gun was sometimes fixed but wheeled guns were also used. Embrasures are rectangular openings in walls used to allow soldiers defended in a gun emplacement to shoot out at the enemy. They were sometimes stepped or splayed creating a dovetail effect to allow greater firing angles without widening the opening. The pictures show a 6 pounder Hotchkiss anti-tank gun from World War 1 on a concrete plinth in a concrete gun house of square of rectangular form with a deeply spayed, wide embrasure. Local enquiry indicates that the position covered a bridge over a railway cutting. The emplacement was at the site of what is now the Quality Hotel, by the A550(T) road, 200 yards north of the old railway bridge north of Ledhsam.